Best Recording Acoustic Guitar (Jan 2023 Update)

Hi Its the Old Time Picker again, This Martin is perfect, I have a Martin HD35 three high end Taylors 810, 524, 562, and a Gibson J15, So I know great guitars and this Martin 000 18 is a perfect guitar, In the past Martin was a little off on the 18 line of guitars with the binding being a little ruff, But not anymore, They have really stepped up to the plate with this one, It is perfect on the fit and finish and the sound is everything you want a Martin to be.i recommend This guitar to anyone of any style age or level of playing. Give it a try MF will take it back if you don't like it. Give ex 3231 a call Dawana will get you taken care of, She's Great. I've Ordered over 60 orders from MF and give them a 10 rating, well its back to Picken and Grinin, My Little puppy, Mr. Snickers sings with me everyday he's great to, hahah,,,, The Old Time PickerOld Time Picker

I've bought several guitars along the way, always knowing that I wanted a Martin 000. Somehow I found myself able to get the guitar I've always wanted and I'm so happy! Why did I wait so long? First of all, Martin Guitars are very nice. VERY NICE. The best. Especially once you get into the 18 series on up. The quality and craftsmanship lives up to the reputation. Of course, all of the hard work that Martin puts into their instruments results in breathtaking sound that only a Martin Guitar can produce. As soon as I picked up the guitar I could feel the power. My first chord was an open D, my go to key anytime I pick up a guitar to try. It's something you have to feel, but all I can really say is that the sound of this 000-18 is glorious. A very round classic sound, with a bit of chime on top. This 000-18 has a wide sonic range, but mid-range focused. The mahogany has that sweet tone which is great for all styles of play. This is definitely a finger pickers dream guitar, but can handle flat picking. I also like that I can lay into this guitar and the strumming remains crisp and not muddy. Drop tunings and capo up and down the neck is near perfect! This is my all around, do it all guitar! This guitar sings. Projection, sustain, volume when you need it, it's all there! Some guitars sound boxy and cheap. Not Martin. Not this one. It actually sounds like I should have paid more. The 000-18 does not come with electronics, but that's okay. You may not want any for this guitar. At least for a while. If you're a professional gigging musician than you could add a pickup, but there could be other choices out there suitable for gigging and amplified performance. The Sitka spruce top is gorgeous. Booked perfectly with silking that I can spend forever looking at. The neck is very smooth and modern feeling. I like it because it's not too thin, but allows me to play all styles. Satin finish makes me want to play all day long. And YES. I shallJay

Overall: Bought this Martin, it is everything the 00018e is except I get to pick out the pickup I want. I like it much more than a Dred, it is perfect in my hands and very light. The sound is typical of a high-end Martin 000. The Dred is just too boomy and could not cut through the mix in recording or playing live. This guitar is great for strumming picking or lead. Bottom end is still great with the added bonus of sparkling high end and playing lead is a thrill. You got to get you one.Randall

I really enjoy playing this guitar. Its louder than I expected, with more punch than a regular 000 style guitar. Well designed and made. A bargain priced guitar that overperforms.novar

I returned this exact described guitar because it has a belly AND a bad neck angle./ Can't believe they just re-listed it.ttedh

Unless you routinely play above the 12th fret, or really need the thumping bass of a dreadnought, I can't imagine any player at any level being disappointed with this guitar. 12-Fret guitars have a magic to their tone because of their bridge placement that a 14-fret simply can't duplicate. In fact, the original Martin dreadnoughts were all 12-Fret for over a decade because they sounded better and played easier. The ROS-06 is beautifully executed with a solid Sitka spruce top, mahogany plywood sides and back, and a chunky mahogany neck. You're not going to get solid wood sides and back in this price rsnge, so I can't ding it for that. The faux tortoise shell binding and rosette and an unexpected luxury look, and the lacquer work is flawless. But back to the tone. Everyone who picks it up immediately falls in love, it is just thst sweet. You'd have to spend 5-6X the money on a Taylor or Breedlove to get a noticeable improvement, likely from the solid sides & back, and then it's only incremental. While you can lean on it medium-hard before it starts to compress, it really is happier as a fingerstyle guitar, again, no surprise, so bluegrass pickers needing the volume might want to stick with your dreads. For the rest of us, we'll be very happy with this little jewel. This is the guitar you hang on the wall in the living room and invite anyone to play.LouieLouie

Needed a truss rod adjustment. A couple of the strings were buzzing. Did not receive a wrench with the guitar to adjustment the rod. Satisfied with the guitar.Daniel O.

Played then bought and super happy. Same specs as a D28 w plastic bridge pins. Does it sound as good as a D28? Nope. Is it a great sounding guitar? Absolutely! I expect it to open up as play it in and for the difference in price (yuge) I'm extremely happy I have it in my arsenal.Charlie

Bought this 2013 model in late 2018 in like new pre-owned condition with Original Taylor hardshell for $600 shipped. It was listed at $1200 msrp in 2013 but available elsewhere new for $999. The 214ce replaced this discontinued model. Looks like it was played twice and stored until sold. More impressed with the aesthetics than I thought Id be. The rosewood layers are lovely, the top is crisp and the binding is solid. The neck is perfect for my smaller hands and the cutaway offers excellent access to squeeze out some extra notes. The electronics seem okay. I had lots of feedback on my first plugin but some adjustments will fix that, or maybe a soundhole plug. Other than that the sound and intonation is excellent, though the non-ampd volume isnt as loud as a GS or GA model. Fresh strings and a heavier primetone pick should help that. The original Taylor HS case was a nice surprise, $200 retail.copydoc

I love this guitar. The sound is bright and clear and it's so much fun to play. Excellent quality as well. Taylor make quality guitars at every price. I had a Martin D-18 and I liked this more. I know…sounds crazy, but it's true. I bought a Taylor 414ce because I liked this Taylor so much, but again…the 210ce was more fun to play. Go try this guitar. You will be pleasantly surprised.NotTommyE

I mostly play for my own amusement, but I've been at it for about 40 years. The FS5/FSX5 is a well built, nice looking, and easy playing guitar. Setup was about perfect out of the box… I might take it down just a touch at the bridge, but it was definitely in the ballpark. The neck feels comfortable, and I have had no issues with buzzes or rattles anywhere on the neck. Tuners are smooth and accurate. Out of the box, the guitar sounds very full and open, with good balance between the strings. The sustain and volume are also both pretty good. The guitar responds pretty well to dynamics, and you can dig in a bit before it starts to hit the ceiling. I've played some that have a little more dynamic range, but the FSX5 hangs. Offers pretty good clarity for fingerstyle, and I have no problem bringing out the notes I want to emphasize. I am really happy with how it sounds with strummed chords…rich, yet clear and punchy. The aesthetics are low-key, but still classy and elegant. The A.R.E aged top under the satin finish is a lovely warm orange-gold, and the simple black binding with smaller white inner bands frames it nicely. The ebony pickguard is a nice touch.. much richer look than simple plastic. The electronics get the job done. I like about an 80% mic blend, and a bit of a bass cut. I run it through a Fishman Platinum EQ and Preamp… and would recommend a good preamp to get the most out of this pickup system… you can dial in a good tone without one, but you'll get the best results with a preamp. Overall, I think Yamaha made some great decisions with this guitar. Although some of the basic fab work is done in China, the finishing touches fall under the auspices of the Japanese craftsman. They used quality materials for the build (bone nut and saddle, ebony bridge), but otherwise kept the "bling" to a minimum, and concentrated on delivering quality in the sound and feel. This is a players guitar, and the price is right for what it is.Vognell

I love love love this guitar! Keep in mind what it is. It is a recreation of a "catalog guitar" from the 30s. It has a very particular bluesy/rootsy sound. If you play this kind of music it will add an authenticity to your playing that a standard modern dreadnought cannot. Please do not knock this guitar for what it isn't, which is a modern dreadnought. When most people think of what an acoustic guitar should sound like they think of a modern dreadnought sound. While the modern dreadnought sound is a nice one with its deep bass and long sustain, it is by no means the ONLY sound an acoustic musician might want to use, especially for roots music. The short sustain and somewhat "chalky" tone of this Recording King instrument is part of its beauty and charm. It has an old-school sound but with modern construction and playability which is great. I love that companies like Recording King are bringing these sounds back, making them affordable, and adding discrete pickup systems to these instruments so we can not only record with them but also play out with them. Well done Recording King! Again, if you want a standard acoustic guitar sound please don't buy this guitar because it looks nice and then detract points because of its sound. Its sounds just like it should. A lot of great early blues, folk, and country music was made and recorded with catalog guitars like this one and we should be glad to have this color available to us again in a brand new instrument. If you really want to get an authentic 30s sound then throw a set of Monel or "Retro" guitar strings on there. The short decay of the basses will add an even more vintage sound and feel to your playing.DJ

The first string 8th and 9th frets sounded the same C note. Additionally, the third string 11th and 12th frets played the same F sharp note. Highly disappointing and a huge quality control issue. How did this item ship without a thorough check?Geno

Guitar, for the price, is excellent. Replaced the strings for better ones. Excellent timbre with a big sound for a smaller guitar. Other than the G string which sounds dull on the lower frets this guitar sounds amazing. I'm sure the dull string can be settled. At this price, you'd be daft not to…Reviewed by Andertons Music Co.

The tone and playability are excellent, especially the tone. It sounds rich and full and loud for a small guitar. I do believe this guitar is made from some excellent wood. There are a couple of really obvious cosmetic issues on the one I got though. Up near the nut there is what looks a half inch cut through the finish and where the fretboard sets on body top of the guitar there is a lot of glue showing that was painted over . I don't plan on returning it unless I discover something that affects the playability and stability. In my experience you're better off just keeping these inexpensive guitars with flaws because you might get a worse one in exchange. Now more good . I had trouble putting it down after tuning it. It sounds great and is very comfortable to play with small body and great fretwork. No sharp fret ends . This is a keeper for sure . If I did not already own two other acoustics I would order another of these and have two for various tunings. I would describe the tone characteristics as being a deep tone , it sounds great for blues for sure. I'm a metal and punk player who dabbles a bit in the blues and other genres and this guitar gets blues right. You can't go wrong for the sale price .JEFFREY

This is a terrific guitar. I have been interested in acquiring a "Dirty Thirties" style instrument, and I spotted this parlor guitar model online. I checked out a few Gretsch Jim Dandy guitars locally, and of the three that I was able to play, one was very nice. But I was drawn to the Recording King "True Parlor" design with their nod to old style blues guitars and a Stella / Kay motif. So when Guitar Center offered a coupon, I took advantage – delivered, the guitar was $10 less than the local Gretsch. The Recording King is very nice. It was set-up perfectly upon arrival – neck straight, nut height dead on, intonation perfect. The tone is just what I wanted – moderated bass, great mid-tones. The guitar projects very well and accepts a Paige Capo perfectly. There is a unique and encouraging clarity to the sound of this little guitar. I wanted this as an alternative to my DADGAD dreadnaughts. I could not be happier with the quality of the instrument, and the service that I received from Guitar Center – thanks!Gregory

Browsing through Guitar Center a few weeks ago, I noticed this little "Dirty Thirty", strummed a few chords and was immediately impressed with the quality of sound. It blew away other acoustics costing twice as much and had a cool retro vibe. I imagined it to be much like the guitars of Robert Johnson and other Delta Blues legends. When I found out that GC had it on sale for half price, I went home and called MF to see if they would match the price which they did. (Love MF!). When it arrived, I replaced the factory strings with a set of Ernie Ball extra light aluminum bronze. The nut came unglued when I removed the factory strings but I was able to get it back in place. The bridge pin on the low E required extra pressure to keep it from popping loose and I will probably replace the stock pins at some point. I now have some fret buzz but that may be due to using extra light strings. Other than those minor issues, no setup required. Action is good Overall a great little parlor size guitar with excellent tone a playability that is fun to play and especially shines on acoustic blues.Isom

I bought this guitar to check out a budget friendly offering from Yamaha. I have to say I was not disappointed! Excellent tone and volume, the top really resonates. The guitar was really well setup right out of the box. It needed about 3/4 of a clockwise truss rod adjustment, no prob. Other than that it didn't need any fret dressing whatsoever. That's really impressive for a Chinese guitar. Heck even one of my Mexican Martins needed fret dressing out of the box! Also intonation was spot on and this also is important in your guitar. Very impressed with this guitar, intermediate/advanced feel but priced at a beginner budget. You won't regret picking one up, I assure you!Big Bone Murphy

There is a point of quality when an instrument reaches when it stops being seen as "better or worse" but rather just a different flavor. This Yamaha has reached that point. You can play it alongside a guitar costing 5x more and it stands up well. Yamaha is also one of those rare companies with a long history of top quality across all kinds of products, and guitars are an area Yamaha knows well. This is just a beautiful guitar through and throughout. You can get beautiful uncompromisingly great studio recordings with this guitar. Hitting the low strings hard with strumming gives a nice deep and rich tone. Also, the hardware / tuners are nice.Scott

I've owned many acoustics over the years, MANY, and this Yamaha is one of the best sounding I've ever owned. Went to GC just to check out a few lower end acoustics to pick up for jamming on, and tried almost every one in the room. Picked this one up last just before I was ready to leave, and immediately was blown away by the sound and playability, brought a couple friends to listen and tell me which one they thought sounded the best, and hands down this won over all of them. It has the tone and warmth of a Martin D34, which I have owned a few, and it plays like a dream. The neck is so sliky smooth, easy to fly up and down with no effort. It has amazing sustain and beautiful tone, I fell in love with it and just couldn't put it down. I didn't expect a guitar of this price range to sound as good as it does, got it home and I couldn't put it down. Played for 4 hours straight, and even after trying to put it down to go to bed at 1am I found myself playing a for a few more minutes before I could actually go to sleep. Love this Yamaha more than any guitar I've bought in the last decade. The best thing about it is, It gave me the desire to pick up playing guitar again, after hardly touching any of my other guitars for almost a year it's the one I want to play more than all of them. Great guitar, wouldn't hesitate to buy another in a different color, if you want something that you won't be able to put down this baby has the sound and feel your looking for.Johnny D

I had a cheap 12 string guitar for about almost two years. I had been playing corridos during this time. However, I had played guitar for several years. Mainly rock and other stuff. Well, after I got it, I could play all the solos I couldn't really play clean. I guess the other guitar really was bad, or this one is great. Funny thing, I had a really good player tell me to not buy this model but the more expensive one. Well, I'm glad I decided to go with this one. This guitar sounds great and it's extremely easy to play. The guitar stays in tune fairly well for a 12 string guitar. The action is low. I haven't tried it the electronics aside from the tuner which works fairly well compared to my snark. I do have a Taylor and Martin guitar, and the tone on this guitar is pretty clean.Juan

This Guitar plays like a dream, sounds great no matter if it is plugged in or not, stays in tune and looks great. This is a great price for a guitar of this quality, but thanks to another dealers daily deal and Guitar Center's price matching, it was even better. I was able to get this out of layaway for $240 less. I am very happy with this guitar. I have not played in a band for a while, but getting back into practice and plan to start back with some solo acoustic gigs. Having this awesome new guitar is surely an inspiration to help me want to practice more.Kip

Overall: Played one 10 or so years ago but didn’t get because of other obligations. Never forgot how it played and sounded! Finally got one and it is a truly excellent guitar. I have a Gibson CJ165EC, which I love, and the 000-15M is a totally different sound, which I wanted. Needed some Martin jangle! Out of the box fantastic. The mahogany tone is unmistakable and rich! Neck is a thin Martin neck, which I’m fine with. I’ve been playing for 53+ years so I kinda know what I’m talking about. Putting in a Fishman rate earth soundhole pickup and this will be my busking guitar! Really happy with the guitar and with zZounds. Delivery was fast and purchase was flawless. Highly recommend both the Martin 000-15M and zZounds!!Reverend

I ordered this online after discussing the purchase with Sam Ash Staff, it was in short supply, they scouted all Sam Ash Stores, they found one and it arrived two weeks early just after christmas. My wife loves it! It's her 2nd Martin Guitar and this one is her prize instrument. The staff at our local store were really helpful both with the Order process and preparing the the guitar upon arrival at the store. I asked about the 1st year instrument maintenance option and they were able to update our purchase to include that. The guitar sounds great, my wife loves playing it even though she is a novice. Totally satisfied with the instrument and the staff that helped obtain it. Thanks guys.Britinusa

I have wanted a triple-aught mahogany guitar. I preferred the Guild D20 dread to the Martin D15, but was open-minded about which 000 brand. Didn't like videos on Taylor and Alvarez all hog orchestra models and was very impressed with the Martin videos. So ordered this. Was also a big fan of Kenneth Pattengale and I'm With Her who use the 00-15 model. Let the box sit half a day. Upon opening it I was greeted by this amazing scent. The guitar came set up with low action, slightly detuned. The bridge and fretboard appeared to be stained morado (a very hard and valid wood, harder than rosewood but not quite as much as ebony). Tuners are Grover Statites. They are firm and perhaps a little too sensitive to sometimes dial in. The body was a gorgeous chocolate with amber-orange highlights. The guitar was immaculate. Martin Lifespan 2.0 PB 12-54 strings. It sounded really nice with the ebony pins which were fit absolutely perfectly. However, I had already purchased Blisstime unbleached bone pins which fit perfectly too. I got even more sustain and a more melodic tone, along with greater volume. This improved the strumming tone immensely. May switch to nickel-bronze 12-56 strings, but I will wait for now. The guitar is super-light and weird to hold after dreads. The tone is dark (as expected) but ringing. There is the hog compression, but I was amazed how great this sounded brand new. I did humidity it overnight. Intonation was spot on. The frets were dressed wonderfully with no protruding ends. No truss rod wrench, nor polishing cloth like with my DSS-17. The case had a small ding in the tolex which I was able to bond into place cleanly and disguise. The case is very nice, but without built-in humidification like my Guild. The tone is beautifully even and not bass-heavy like the D15. The treble keeps up with the expected mids. The end pin was not pushed in all the way by me as it was very tight. May opt to have that professionally assessed. I don't gig, so a pickup is not for me. I did get a tortoise pickguard. This is definitely a keeper which I will pamper.Tom

. Now let me set the scene… I am a guitar lover (I can even play a little too) and a quality professional so My expectations are somewhat higher than most looking at this product. An absolutely beautiful instrument, this is my second SA360 and although they are no longer. Made in Japan, be assured they have not lost any of the build quality or attention to detail. The guitar was really well set up, is great to play, feels good in the hand and sounds the bee’s knee’s. If you are looking to start out in guitar playing get yourself an Ibanez Gio to start as a first upgrade from that, then the SA series is where you want to be at.Timbo

I had a cheap 12 string guitar for about almost two years. I had been playing corridos during this time. However, I had played guitar for several years. Mainly rock and other stuff. Well, after I got it, I could play all the solos I couldn't really play clean. I guess the other guitar really was bad, or this one is great. Funny thing, I had a really good player tell me to not buy this model but the more expensive one. Well, I'm glad I decided to go with this one. This guitar sounds great and it's extremely easy to play. The guitar stays in tune fairly well for a 12 string guitar. The action is low. I haven't tried it the electronics aside from the tuner which works fairly well compared to my snark. I do have a Taylor and Martin guitar, and the tone on this guitar is pretty clean.Juan

This Guitar plays like a dream, sounds great no matter if it is plugged in or not, stays in tune and looks great. This is a great price for a guitar of this quality, but thanks to another dealers daily deal and Guitar Center's price matching, it was even better. I was able to get this out of layaway for $240 less. I am very happy with this guitar. I have not played in a band for a while, but getting back into practice and plan to start back with some solo acoustic gigs. Having this awesome new guitar is surely an inspiration to help me want to practice more.Kip

At first I was going to say it's a great guitar for the price, but that really doesn't do this thing justice. It's just a great guitar. It has a great sound, it feels good in your hands, it's easy to hold and to play. I can't fault this guitar at all. The action was a bit high out of the box, but the tech at Guitar Center gave it a great set-up and now it's very easy to play. I'm planning to give this one to my daughter, but I would happily keep this myself. I have only been playing guitar for a few weeks, but even I can make this thing sound good!Todd

There is a place in my project studio for FS800: 48 years ago I sold Yamaha Guitars and found them excellent. When the group "America" presented a acoustic sound (Horse with No Name; Ventura Highway; Tin Man . . . et al) the solid rhythms of Yamaha solid top guitars proved Ideal. Through the years I have experimented with various genres as a singer songwriter; now a days I have returned to folk and "heavy on" acoustic guitar sounds. To complement my more expensive guitars I needed something that could deliver the solid rhythms I fondly recall. Now the Yamaha FS800 excels for finger styles as well: I layer tracks this guitar is a breeze to play and its character naturally stands out in the mix. I cannot see a beginner or a more advanced guitarist going wrong with The Yamaha FS800. JHajarhill

Perfect couch and campfire guitar. Sustains and project very well with a surprisingly round warm sound. Gorgeous burst finish much nicer in person. String spacing is slightly narrower than standard, make note. Bridge saddle needed to be shaved down for lower action. Neck and frets were perfect otherwise. Tuning very stable. A set of 11-52 will be next string change. Love playing this thing, and exploring alternate tunings! It seems Yamaha's reputation is true.Greg

The tone and playability are excellent, especially the tone. It sounds rich and full and loud for a small guitar. I do believe this guitar is made from some excellent wood. There are a couple of really obvious cosmetic issues on the one I got though. Up near the nut there is what looks a half inch cut through the finish and where the fretboard sets on body top of the guitar there is a lot of glue showing that was painted over . I don't plan on returning it unless I discover something that affects the playability and stability. In my experience you're better off just keeping these inexpensive guitars with flaws because you might get a worse one in exchange. Now more good . I had trouble putting it down after tuning it. It sounds great and is very comfortable to play with small body and great fretwork. No sharp fret ends . This is a keeper for sure . If I did not already own two other acoustics I would order another of these and have two for various tunings. I would describe the tone characteristics as being a deep tone , it sounds great for blues for sure. I'm a metal and punk player who dabbles a bit in the blues and other genres and this guitar gets blues right. You can't go wrong for the sale price .JEFFREY

This is a terrific guitar. I have been interested in acquiring a "Dirty Thirties" style instrument, and I spotted this parlor guitar model online. I checked out a few Gretsch Jim Dandy guitars locally, and of the three that I was able to play, one was very nice. But I was drawn to the Recording King "True Parlor" design with their nod to old style blues guitars and a Stella / Kay motif. So when Guitar Center offered a coupon, I took advantage – delivered, the guitar was $10 less than the local Gretsch. The Recording King is very nice. It was set-up perfectly upon arrival – neck straight, nut height dead on, intonation perfect. The tone is just what I wanted – moderated bass, great mid-tones. The guitar projects very well and accepts a Paige Capo perfectly. There is a unique and encouraging clarity to the sound of this little guitar. I wanted this as an alternative to my DADGAD dreadnaughts. I could not be happier with the quality of the instrument, and the service that I received from Guitar Center – thanks!Gregory

Browsing through Guitar Center a few weeks ago, I noticed this little "Dirty Thirty", strummed a few chords and was immediately impressed with the quality of sound. It blew away other acoustics costing twice as much and had a cool retro vibe. I imagined it to be much like the guitars of Robert Johnson and other Delta Blues legends. When I found out that GC had it on sale for half price, I went home and called MF to see if they would match the price which they did. (Love MF!). When it arrived, I replaced the factory strings with a set of Ernie Ball extra light aluminum bronze. The nut came unglued when I removed the factory strings but I was able to get it back in place. The bridge pin on the low E required extra pressure to keep it from popping loose and I will probably replace the stock pins at some point. I now have some fret buzz but that may be due to using extra light strings. Other than those minor issues, no setup required. Action is good Overall a great little parlor size guitar with excellent tone a playability that is fun to play and especially shines on acoustic blues.Isom

I mostly play for my own amusement, but I've been at it for about 40 years. The FS5/FSX5 is a well built, nice looking, and easy playing guitar. Setup was about perfect out of the box… I might take it down just a touch at the bridge, but it was definitely in the ballpark. The neck feels comfortable, and I have had no issues with buzzes or rattles anywhere on the neck. Tuners are smooth and accurate. Out of the box, the guitar sounds very full and open, with good balance between the strings. The sustain and volume are also both pretty good. The guitar responds pretty well to dynamics, and you can dig in a bit before it starts to hit the ceiling. I've played some that have a little more dynamic range, but the FSX5 hangs. Offers pretty good clarity for fingerstyle, and I have no problem bringing out the notes I want to emphasize. I am really happy with how it sounds with strummed chords…rich, yet clear and punchy. The aesthetics are low-key, but still classy and elegant. The A.R.E aged top under the satin finish is a lovely warm orange-gold, and the simple black binding with smaller white inner bands frames it nicely. The ebony pickguard is a nice touch.. much richer look than simple plastic. The electronics get the job done. I like about an 80% mic blend, and a bit of a bass cut. I run it through a Fishman Platinum EQ and Preamp… and would recommend a good preamp to get the most out of this pickup system… you can dial in a good tone without one, but you'll get the best results with a preamp. Overall, I think Yamaha made some great decisions with this guitar. Although some of the basic fab work is done in China, the finishing touches fall under the auspices of the Japanese craftsman. They used quality materials for the build (bone nut and saddle, ebony bridge), but otherwise kept the "bling" to a minimum, and concentrated on delivering quality in the sound and feel. This is a players guitar, and the price is right for what it is.Vognell

I have played guitar for 50 years and owned many fine instruments; I currently own four Martins. This is the first upper level Yamaha I've seen "in person" and I was curious. I have to say that, other than a similar appearance, this is an ENTIRELY DIFFERENT ANIMAL from the lower level Yamaha acoustic guitars. These are made in the Yamaha Custom Shop in Hammamatsu, Japan, and are all-solid-wood and crafted to a very high standard from the best materials. The sound is crisp, rich, and deep. I think this guitar is very close to Martin's newer D-18 (one of my all-time favorites) at HALF the price! Unfortunately these are very seldom in stock but, with GC's generous return policy, it's well worth the risk.C J Camp

This was an "upgrade" from a slightly more expensive Yamaha concert body guitar, which was totally fine, but I feel like I just went from playing with a casual acquaintance to falling madly in love. There really is something about the Martin sound – crisp, clear, resonant, responsive, with an absolutely gorgeous sparkle in every note. It responds with subtlety and nuance to fingerpicking, and also sounds great with a pick, with slight differences in attack and tone from thicker to thinner and different pick materials. The 24.9 scale and slightly smaller body size is super comfortable and easy to play, and the acoustic output is perfect for singer/songwriter accompaniment. I haven't plugged it in yet, but I'm sure it'll play nicely with amplification when needed. Big thanks to Dana at the NYC store for hooking me up with this beauty!Mark

I had my guitar stolen last summer and I got this for a gift from my brother. I was super excited. It is the perfect size, plays really well and I'm loving brushing up on my skills. I would highly recommend this guitar. Sam Ash provided excellent service and deliver arrangement. I would strongly recommend it!Rachel

Nice guitar, dropped the action a little for my style. Much talk of USA over Mexico but to be honest once a bit of age passes by I'm sure little be as good as my USA DCME which I love. Great service and delivery too, many thanks guysAidan McGrevy (

I've been playing guitar for over 40 years, and I've owned many over the decades. However, when my son was born, I hung up my gig bag, sold off most of my equipment, and focused on raising a fine young man. He's now 12, has taken an interest in singing, and for being self taught, he's pretty good. I felt this was the perfect father/son bonding activity, so I purchased this beautiful new Taylor 214ce Plus Grand Auditorium so he and I could collaborate on songs together. I've owned this guitar for just over a week now, and I couldn't be happier. It's been more than a decade since I've owned an acoustic guitar, but having played for so many years, I've developed a taste for quality instruments, so a cheaply made guitar simply wasn't going to do. I must say, this Taylor 214ce Plus plays like butter. Right out of the included Taylor quality made case, this instrument plays and sounds like a fine instrument should. A slight bit of stretching and break-in on the new strings, and it plays and sounds amazing both unplugged and plugged into my amp. I love the location and quality feel of the controls. You can really dial in the perfect balanced tone. The action on this guitar is absolutely perfect and so easy on the fingers, which I really appreciate since I'm building back those finger calluses from scratch. The action is just as easy on the 12th fret as it is on the 2nd fret. The tone of this guitar is so bright, rich and full bodied that it truly delivers that "WOW" factor when you hear it for the first time. What's more, it looks every bit as amazing as it feels and sounds. The high gloss finish is absolutely beautiful. I looked this instrument over in every detail, and I can't find a single flaw anywhere. It's as if someone really took great pride in their work and took their time to make certain they were turning out perfection. I've never before seen such quality from a mass produced instrument. I'm about to have both of my knees replaced in a couple of weeks, so it looks like I'll be laid up for the better part of the summer. I figured what better way to spend my time than getting my guitar chops back up to par; and what a pleasure it's going to be doing so on this beautiful sounding work of art. In writing this review I almost wish I could supply you with some CONS, to at least make the review seem less sappy, but I honestly can't find a single downside to this instrument. NOT ONE! Lastly I am also very grateful to American Musical Supply for providing payment options for those of us on a budget. They've allowed me to own such a quality instrument, when given the current economic climate, I otherwise wouldn't have been able to. So, kudos to Taylor for making such amazing instruments, and to AMS for making them available for every budget.Ryan L (Queen Creek, Arizona)

I’m not the biggest acoustic player in the world, but I have tried quite a few out over the years and I find this to be very nice for the price. Nice even sound, could use a little more bass but plugged in it sounds even better. Action is a touch high for me, but I guess that can be remedied. I love the gig bag it comes in, very sturdy! I prefer it to a hard case. For how I play, I lean more towards Taylors, so maybe I’m a bit biased but I really like this guitar.Joey

My first Taylor guitar. Still learning to play. I had a Martin OMC-X1E and checked out some guitars. I tried out the Taylor 214CE Plus and there was no turning back. Much easier to play bar chords than the Martin. Sounds bright and crisp. Very nice resonance. Beautiful guitar all around. My experience at Sam Ash was top notch. They helped with my requests 100%. Will return for future purchases.Lucky

Very nice product, looks great plays well. Sounds good, just not for me a like to play more fingerstyle it turns out. So after wide nut and string spacing. If not after that it's great guitar for the money!Duncan J.

Beautiful Instrument! Playable, stunning looks, great action, my best Guitar ever! Customer service was great also! Highly recommend.Wayne R.

Overall, I think I can say that I am 100% satisfied. Only had it since Tues afternoon but I bet I have put about 16 hours on it so far. Time will tell how it holds up thru the rigors of being a working guitar. My only regret nay be not having a pickup of some sort installed. This guitar was available thru several on-line outfits, but when I saw on one of them that CME would be the supplier, I decided to call them direct and talk to a real person in a real music store. I'm glad I did. Got several questions answered right away, and a set of strings. The action was set up pretty low when it came, but it sounded really good even with the orig strings. It played pretty stiff tho. I put new strings on and went back to playing on it, and now we are getting along great. I have A/B'd it with a 1995 D41, and a DC28E 2016 that I have and it is by no means and in any way inferior to them in tone, punch, volume , you name it. 30 yr old Adi and solid mahog at this price is unbelievable. Great job CME. Very happy customer.John L.

I've been a musician for over 20 years, which means I can tell the difference between a cheap and professional quality instrument, and I have to tell you this guitar sounds amazing and not just for the price. The tone woods used are on par with most mass produced Martins, Taylors, and Gibsons. The sound is better than anything else in this price range I've even tried. There are some flaws in the build, but nothing that effects the tone or the durability of the instrument. My only complaint is the thick poly finish which looks cheap. Guitar needed setup but that was expected from an overseas axe. If the finish quality was better and the name on the headstock said Martin & Co. it would be well sought after and would sell for over 2k. If you are looking for a D18 sound but at a quarter of the price and don't mind a few imperfections, then you won't be disappointed in this instrument.Michael

It's condition is on par for the price. I had to do some work, but I really like how it plays and sounds now. I had to file the fret ends so it would not cut my hand when moving up/down the fretboard. I also lowered the action by filing down the saddle and filed the string groves down on the nut. Then I buffed and polished the frets. One tuner was installed so crooked that side of the tuner base hangs over the edge of the headstock a bit, but otherwise works fine. Several small blemishes exist throughout the paint job and a few gouges are at the fretboard edge from the factory fret job. I will probably upgrade the tuners eventually. I also took the pickguard with a plastic scraper and hairdryer. I also treated the fretboard with fretboard oil as it looked very dry and ashy. The bridge was rough feeling so I masked it off and sanded it with fine sandpaper. I think it looks much better now.Matt M.

Let me first say, I never do reviews. This guitar far exceeded my expectations so I wanted to write a bit about it. Very cool looks and build on this guitar. Much better than the Epiphone Hummingbird and Dove models. Great tone, feel, and super low action straight from the factory. The tuners are very cheap and don't hold tune that well. With grovers this would be a really cool practice guitar. Use the promo coupon and this guitar is a steal. Has a really cool J-45 feel to it when played and held. I had low expectations, pleasantly surprised. Get the Sunburst model!JJ

I knew very little about RK before buying this guitar but I'm so glad I picked this guitar up. It has a tone that says "real". Woody sounds pour from this guitar. The fit and finish is excellent and the action was surprisingly low. I am thoroughly impressed with this guitar. It's a great value and worth every penny. Gladly buy another a Recording King again.Rob